Catching Hearts
by BrutieBoots
Summary: When Louis Weasley sets his sights on the girl James Potter has loved since first year, he's in for a fight. James recruits his closest friends to help in his new mission: keeping Louis away from Micah Smith before their final year is up. Then maybe he will finally call her his girlfriend. But there's only one way to break Louis Weasley; catch his heart. Second generation fic.


_**CATCHING HEARTS**_

_**Harry Potter fanfiction**_

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_Author's Note: _Finally got another story started, thank goodness for winter break. xD I just wanted to thank emodinosaurX3 for her fantastic characters; Micah, Nellie, Conner and Lukas. This story is a second generation fic, set in James Potter's seventh year. Enjoy!

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_PROLOGUE_

_JAMES_

This was an absolute outrage, James Potter had never been so furious. He couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't _believe it and no one could make him. He wouldn't take this lying down; he would fight and throw an endless tantrum until Headmaster Featherbrook changed his mind. The old man had gotten it all wrong for once. It was bound to happen someday–he _was_ ancient after all. If he wouldn't listen–he was rather hard of hearing–then James would just have to take matters into his own hands, his own mischievous and bloodthirsty hands.

The hum of chatter was thick in the air as he stalked back into the Great Hall. He had stomped out under the guise of needing the bathroom when instead he'd gone and given the laughing gargoyle statue a good kicking. The ceiling was enchanted to look like a beautiful summer's evening, the sunset spreading streaks of magenta and rosy pink. To James, the Welcoming Feast was anything but–he almost wanted to storm out again at the pleasant atmosphere, it was suffocating now. He hated it all. His face soured, his bright brown eyes darkening as they glanced at the Ravenclaw table across the room to glare at his new foe. He folded his arms over his chest and sucked in his lips. A storm cloud gathered over his head, crackling and jutting out lightning to match his face of thunder.

Louis Weasley caught his cousin's eye and grinned, sticking a hand in the air and waving. The idiot had no idea. He didn't realise there was a storm coming for him. James had always enjoyed hanging out with him before that moment, teasing him about his many conquests and the trail of broken hearts left in Hogwarts corridors. He found it hilarious how girls fawned over him and often made dirty comments that Louis–always the bloody gentleman–waved off with a smile and shake of his head, framed by perfect strawberry blonde hair. But now he'd been bit by that green-eyed monster and just wanted to set the prick on fire. That hair would be pretty damn flammable.

As he stalked down the Gryffindor table, still glaring, several eyes watched him. Most of them belonged to his family, most Gryffindors, all wearing the same look of confusion and concern. He walked past Rose and Albus who froze in their seats besides one other; Albus with a sausage dangling from a fork millimetres apart from his mouth as his eyes widened and Rose with her eyebrows drawn together and lower lip quivering. Elsewhere Lily rolled her eyes and shook her head whilst Hugo only slowed his eating pace to a mouthful a minute, shockingly slow for him admittedly. They'd never seen James angry before, they'd never even seen James _serious _before.

When he reached the end of the table where the seventh years sat, he lowered onto the bench next to his quartet of friends. His eyes never left his target that had gone back to laughing with his horde of friends–everyone loved _him_ after all. He seethed, still not acknowledging his comrades. Conner McLaggen and Lukas Finnigan sat either side of James whilst Charlotte Wood and Nellie Longbottom stared at him from across the table.

"What's up your butt?" Charlotte asked slowly after swallowing her mouthful of roast dinner.

"Nothing," he muttered through his teeth, his face pinching together even tighter. The teasing approach definitely wouldn't work.

The four exchanged unsure glances that James ignored. By now he would usually be throwing his hands in the air and shouting at the top of his lungs, making a complete spectacle of himself. That was the James Potter they knew and loved–a ridiculous and fearless loony. This quiet and brooding James was unfamiliar to them all and unsettling to the point that they put down their cutlery–no one could eat at a time like this–and wore faces of determination. They were going to get this out of him, whatever was turning him into a moody teenager minutes away from snapping and hexing half the student body.

"C'mon Jambo," Conner clapped a hand on his shoulder and smirked. "We all know sharing is caring."

"It is _not_. I'd never share her with _him_ and I care more than _he _ever could,"

His friends weren't sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or worry more. They knew what–or who–this was about now but it didn't make the situation any better. In fact it made things worse, much worse. James was on the verge of becoming a love-struck sociopath. Whatever this _he _figure had done, it had clearly involved the object of all James' affections: Micah Selene Smith.

He'd had it bad for her since first year, since he stole her Yorkshire pudding and watched her cherub cheeks go red, a red so bright it nearly matched her luscious fiery curls. After that he'd decided that they would be together someday. Now in their seventh year, it still hadn't happened. She was shy, delicate and innocent. James was loud, ludicrous and anything but innocent. All his advancements were met with blushes and stammering words followed by her friends shooing him away. The only time he managed to speak to her and make her smile was when he acted like a normal human being and those moments were few and fleeting.

After a few minutes of silence, Nellie cleared her throat and decided to try the gentle approach.

"James, talk to us. We can help, we want to help,"

His eyes met hers, hazel and sympathetic, and a knowing smile crept across his lips. They _could _help. The five of them could stomp out this travesty before it ever truly happened. They could right the wrongs and save his beloved. It was like an epic tale, brave knights rescuing a damsel in distress from the villain's clutches. He'd be a hero and not a dateless hero for once.

"The worst thing has happened!" He exclaimed dramatically and waved his hands through the air. His friends sighed; he was back to his silly self. "This is a travesty on par with none! How could Featherbrook do this?"

He heaped roast chicken onto his plate. It was time to comfort eat.

"Do what?" Lukas piped, eyebrows arched.

"Make Micah the Head Girl and Louis Head Boy, Luke. I don't know how Featherbrook will sleep at night!"

"I think Micah will make a fantastic Head Girl,"

"Of course she bloody will!" James waved a drumstick at him. "She's practically flawless!"

Charlotte looked at him, deadpan. "Then what's the problem?"

"Louis Weasley! He's the problem! Do I really have to spell it out to you guys? He'll have her charmed and goo-goo eyed by Halloween!"

"Aren't you underestimating her a bit?"

"Lottie!" He groaned in distress, glancing at his other friends for backup. "Have you not met Louis? Girls eat him up like he's made of bloody chocolate!"

"No, I can't say I've ever met him actually,"

"Oh, right. I forgot," James paused, his momentum coming to a grinding halt. She never spent summers with her friends, she'd always be away with her parents–Quidditch players, the both of them and often on tour–and with the two in separate houses, there wasn't much need for introductions. He quickly gathered up his fury again and looked for support. "But I have a point, don't I?"

Conner smirked wider. "Girls _do _love his _liquorice wand_,"

"You're disgusting," Charlotte hissed as Nellie giggled beside her.

"Nell Bell doesn't seem to think so, do you?"

Her giggles subsided as she combed a stray sandy blonde strand behind her ear, her several piercings glinting in the candlelight. "You're not entirely repulsive,"

"Guys!" James interjected his voice shrill and desperate. "Aren't we meant to be focusing on me? I'm the one with a real problem! Help me you numpties!"

"I don't see how it's a problem," Lukas answered slowly, trying to remain the voice of reason. "Micah has a right to date whomever she likes."

"I'm not saying she doesn't, just not him!"

"Because he's your cousin?"

"You've never had much of a problem with Louis getting around before," Charlotte added. "You and McLaggen never stop joking about it, it's almost disturbing."

"Almost," Conner repeated, eyebrows wiggling. "Do you secretly enjoy it? Fulfil a bit of a fantasy for you?"

"Shut up and eat your potatoes,"

"Only if I can eat Nellie's too,"

"McLaggen!"

Charlotte launched a Yorkshire pudding at his face with faultless aim, a feat that easily explained why she excelled as Chaser for Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Conner never stopped smirking. Nellie hid her blushing face and tiny snort of embarrassed laughter at his innuendo. Lukas shook his dark head of hair and went back to his food with James all the while frowning as he waited for the attention to return to him. His friends were utterly bonkers and they had the audacity to think him the ridiculous one. Did no one understand what he dealt with daily? Did no one consider how his friends were mad as a box of crackers?

Never taking his eyes off his meal, Lukas smiled and indulged one of his closest friends. "So why does this really bother you so much?"

"Louis always gets what he wants," James sighed. The others calmed down immediately at his tone, giving him their full attention. They were actually amazing friends to him, the four of them. They were nutters but they were loyal nutters. "And who wouldn't want Micah? She's kind, she's smart, she's beautiful; just try to say one bad thing about her. Go on, try."

He was met with silence and continued after a pause. He knew he had a point. She was well-liked by everyone in her house. Although she was a bit on the quiet side and much too shy to keep a large following of friends, she was always there to help and comfort. You couldn't fault her, even her quietness was endearing.

"I don't know how to compete with Louis, I've never even thought about it."

Conner frowned. "Now where's the cocky James we all love to hate?"

"Your ego almost rivals Conner's and that's definitely saying something," Nellie teased. "You were one of the youngest Quidditch captains Gryffindor has ever had,"

"You flooded the second floor with nose-biting teacups and self-propelling custard pies," Charlotte joined in. "With some help, of course. It took the staff nearly a month to reopen all the corridors."

Lukas was next. "You've practically been top of Defence Against the Dark Arts since first year,"

"You scored both Christina Chang _and _Rosalyn Vane in fifth year," Conner clucked his tongue. "Everyone knows those girls were fit."

"McLaggen, I don't think girls were the point of this,"

"Fine, Lottie, I'll do it your way," he groaned before grinning again. "You know what; you're a Potter for fuck's sake!"

"You're right," James smiled for the first time. He knew this was why he kept his friends around. "I'm James Sirius Potter and I'm fucking brilliant."

"Not quite as good as me, but you're pretty damn close." Conner corrected.

Ignoring him, James continued. "And Micah just hasn't seen that yet. My grandparents didn't get together until their seventh year and they belonged together and that's exactly what will happen to us. I can break Louis' streak," his excitement slowed as he glanced at his four friends. "There's only one problem, I don't know _how_ to do that."

"Easy, you break him." Nellie stated matter-of-factly.

"I what?"

"You find him another girl," Conner clocked on and continued for her. "Find someone who won't fall for it all, who can play his game and win,"

He glanced at Nellie for a second before finishing. "That's what would work on me at least."

"Conner has a point," Lukas noted, his dark narrow eyes calm and knowing. "But it wouldn't be right to hurt your cousin; he's still your family."

"But I'd be stopping him from hurting Micah. He _is _my cousin so I know what he's like," James exclaimed. The two stared at each other before James conceded defeat. Lukas was so sensible it was hard to argue with him a lot of the time. He was the only one close to a rational adult out of the five seventh years. "Okay, fine. Nothing actually hurtful to any party but otherwise all's fair in love and war."

Charlotte, who had spent the last few minutes wolfing down her dinner before James interrupted her again, finally weighed in. "Where are you going to find a girl willing to do all that though?"

"You might not know Louis but girls fall all over him," Nellie murmured with a half-smile. "It wouldn't be hard."

"No, Lottie has a point. We need someone who he won't get tired off, who he can't win over but a girl he'd definitely chase," Lukas corrected, taking part in the discussion now that his terms of _no heartbreak _were vaguely met. He glanced at Conner and James. "Any candidates you two can think of?"

James looked offended. "What? I only have eyes for Micah, all other girls pale in comparison,"

Charlotte shared a snicker with Nellie. "Except Christina and Rosalyn,"

"Hey, I was young and foolish, I had needs." He shrugged.

"I can think of someone," Conner spoke up, his expression of intense thought relaxing and becoming his trademark smirk. He jerked a thumb at Charlotte. "What about Lottie?"

"Nope," Nellie replied immediately before anyone else could object. "You are not doing that to my best mate, to _our _best mate. No, nope, not in a million years."

"Well, _you _can't do it after–" James began before he noticed her eyes becoming narrow slits. He was about to put his foot in it. He quickly tried to cover his tracks. "–I mean because your dad would never let that happen, he'd lecture you whenever you were in Herbology. He'd probably try to take Louis on in a duel."

"My dad would hunt Louis down and lob Quaffles at him until he agreed to never come near me again," Charlotte stated. "Plus I don't have time for all _that_."

"You mean a social life?" Conner quipped.

"I mean dating. Unlike _some_ people, I actually plan to study for my N.E.W.T.s and attend Quidditch practise,"

"Boring," he replied in singsong. "Maybe a bit of _liquorice wand _might actually help you loosen up."

"Do you want me to start beating you with Quaffles? We're rapidly going in that direction,"

"Please help, Lottie," James interrupted the bickering to try flattering her into agreeing. "You're smart and strong, you're a prefect so you'll see lots of him–"

"–and you could clean up quite nicely," Conner taunted.

She frowned stubbornly. "And I'm not remotely interested."

"But that's the point; you're _not_ interested, everyone else is. You won't fall for it all; you'll have nothing to lose!" He looked to Nellie, exasperated. "Please convince her, you of all people know what he'll do to Micah!"

"Why her of all people?" Charlotte repeated.

"You guys _are _roommates with Micah," Conner suggested, assuming he'd figured out the code. "And they both do Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures together, Nell Bell probably knows her quite well."

"I do," she agreed sheepishly.

"So talk some sense into Lottie,"

"Leave Nellie alone," Charlotte groaned with a half-smile at her. "No one is going to talk me into this; I have other things to focus on. I don't mind talking to Micah as prefect and Head Girl, maybe getting her to hang out with us more but I'm not doing something this crazy. We have other things to focus on than setting me up with a guy I don't even fancy."

James sulked but left the subject for now. He knew she was too stubborn to listen to him, only Nellie. He'd have a word to her in private, ask for her help. He'd be sincere and convincing, assuring and assertive. Nellie would come around. He might've lost this early battle but he was going to win the war. He was going to bring Louis Weasley down.


End file.
